The Tonga Government officially approved on Friday, 31st January 2014, to waive the school fees for Haʻapai High School and to subsidise, through NEMO, the school fees for all Non-Government schools for all levels (ECE, primary, and secondary) in 2014.
Further, NEMO will undertake, also, a survey to identify all students whose parents or guardians are permanent residents of Haʻapai but who are studying in Tongatapu schools. The fees of such students will be waived if they are enrolled in Government schools and subsidized if they are enrolled in Non
– Government schools. The assistance is estimated to be worth approximately $160,000 for students studying in Haʻapai schools only.
The assistance with school fees is only part of a comprehensive package of assistance to the Haʻapai Group by the Tonga Government, Donors, and Development Partners in response to the devastations wrought by Tropical Cyclone Ian
It will include the provision of school packs and tents; water tanks; repair and/or replacement construction of school and sanitation facilities and staff quarters; furniture, teaching and learning resources and office equipment; textbooks and reading books; sports equipment; counselling services; food packs; and, plants, seedlings, and planting tools.
The Ministry of Education and Training is most grateful to the Tonga Government, Donors, and Development Partners, and the people of Tonga for their continuing generous response and support for the urgent needs of Haʻapai schools. It meant that most schools in Haʻapai in the affected islands began the school year normally on 3rd February 2014.
